A portfolio is a gathering place for your proudest accomplishments. It’s easy to gather your projects, experience, skills, and values in one place if you start now by finding a binder (or folder if you don’t have a binder handy) and drop in what you have right now. As you gather more accomplishments add them to your binder.

Keep it simple – add to your portfolio as you gain accomplishments.Make it easy – start with what you have.Have fun – add a picture or photo to the front of your portfolio, add colors, assessments, lists, art, or whatever best represents you.

Your portfolio is flexible. As you build your LifeWork Portfolio, take out what is no longer working for you and add what makes you smile. Develop new skills and accomplishments where you need them. If you can’t easily list your strengths, skills, and character, refer to pg. 110-113 of Fire Up Your Profile For LifeWork Success.

CAREER SUCCESS FORMULA

Strengths + Skills + Character + Opportunities = Career Success

The purpose of your portfolio is to gather personal and career information, job search tools, plans, and goals in one place. If you need a portfolio to take to an employer, you will want to choose the most relevant information from your LifeWork Portfolio and create a separate professional presentation folio, binder, or folder. Use the method most appropriate to your field of interest. Grow your portfolio and adapt it to your career transformations. Be creative, make your portfolio yours, and use the section titles that work best for you. Here are some sections you might want in your LifeWork Portfolio:

About Me

Vision Statement

Strengths/Value/Interests

Motivational Quotes/Poems

Purposeful Work

Your Purpose for Working

Preferred Working Environment

Examples of Successful Experiences

Career Management

Flexible Goals

Action Plan

Healthy Lifestyle Strategies

Job Search Plan

Job Search Assessment

Occupation/Company Research

Job Descriptions

Exit Strategy

Challenges

Job Opportunities

Job Search Tools

Skills you want to use

Master Application

Master Resume/Letter

References

Degrees/Licenses

Training/Certifications

Recommendations

Accomplishments

Awards/Presentations

Work Experience/Projects

Art/Writing/Creative Work

Letters of Appreciation

Community Involvement

Cultural

Travel

Volunteer

Leadership

Memberships

Languages

If you should feel a bit overwhelmed with the task of gathering your strengths, skills, and accomplishments to create an extraordinary picture of you, then contact a LIfeWork Coach, or counselor to help you bring your strengths and accomplishments to light.